smith



(No Model) '2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. S. SMITH. PNEUMATIC STRAW STAU'KER. I

Patented 0015.6,1896.

WITNESSES:

W W -A agi ri E 25% 7 & 5g 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented 001;.6, 1896.

J. 8. SMITH. PNBUMATIG STRA'W STAGKER.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. SMITH, OF LA FONTAINE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE INDIANA MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

PNEUMATIC STRAW-STACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,883, dated October 6, 1896.

Application filed February 23, 1895. Serial No. 539,334. (No model.)

If 0 all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN S. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Fontaine, in the county of Wabash and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usef ul Improvements in Pneumatic Straw-Stackers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said invention is to secure a more efiective manipulation of the trunks or chutes of pneumatic stackers than has heretofore been possible.

It consists in certain means whereby such trunks or chutes may be conveniently and easily elevated and depressed, extended and contracted, folded for purposes of storage or transportation and unfolded for use, and all of these operations performed easily and conveniently by a single person.

An apparatus embodying my invention will be first fully described, and the novel features thereof then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear portion of a threshing-machine provided with a pneumatic straw-stacker embodying my said invention, the stacker trunk or chute being shown extended and in position for use; Fig.2, a side elevation of the same with the stacker trunk or chute folded up in position for storage or transportation; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the pneumatic stacker structure separately as seen from the opposite side to that shown in the preceding figures; Fig. 4, a top or plan view of the same in the position shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an under-side plan of the lower end of the apparatus as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and Fig. 6 a detail fragmentary rear elevation.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the body of the threshing-machine to which my improved pneumatic strawstacker is applied; B, the fan-case of said pneumatic stacker; 0, D, and E, the trunk or chute sections; F, a shaft upon which the de vices for manipulating the trunk or chute are mounted; G, connecting-rods running from arms on said shaft to a point at or near the upper end of the lower trunk-section; H, connections running from a point on the frame of the machine to an arm on the second trunksection, whereby said trunk-section may be thrown over, and I springs connecting the second trunk-section to the connecting-rods G and operating reversely to the connections H.

The threshing-machine A may be of any ordinary or desired form.

The fan-case B and the fan therein are substantially the same in construction and arrangement as those shown and described in Letters Patent No. 493,734, dated March 21, 1893, issued upon the application of Joseph W. Nethery.

The trunk-section O is hinged to the fancase B, and the hinge I), as well as the remainder of the union, is or may be of an ordinary or any desired construction, it being only necessary for the purposes of my invention that a hinged joint shall be provided at the point of union. Said trunk-section is of a height sufficient so that when elevated it will extend to above the top of the threshing-machine A, and in its elevated position preferably stands substantially vertically, as shown. This arrangement enables the convenient folding of the trunk for storage or transportation in machines of the type shown, where the trunk starts from out or near the lower side of the threshing-machine.

A light frame or ring 0 surrounds the outer end of this trunk-section O and forms a preferred point of connection for other parts, as will be presently explained.

The trunk-section D is provided with a light frame or ring D at its lower end, and this is hinged at c to the corresponding ring or I frame 0 on the section 0. ,Extending out from this ring D are rods or bars D which in turn carry a ring or frame D which surrounds the outer end of the'section D loosely, being free therefrom at all points.

The trunk-section E is telescopically mounted upon the section D and slides over said section and within the ring D Upon its lower side is secured a track rib or rod 2, which runs on a (preferably grooved) roller (1 carried by the ring D and said section E is thus supported andguided on said ring or frame at this point. On the other or upper side, when the stacker is in normal position, is secured the bracket E, which in turn carries a (preferably grooved) roller 6 which runs on the upper rod D These two rollers 61 and e thus carry and guide this telescopic section E.

Any ordinary apparatus may be provided for moving this telescopic section in and out in extending or contracting the trunk or chute. As such apparatus is simple and easily constructed, and as it forms no part of my present invention, it is not described herein. The outer end of this telescopic section E,'also commonly in use, will be provided with an adjustable hood, by which the discharge of straw may be deflected and guided, such, for instance, as is shown in the Nethery patent.- above referred to, or in the Patent No. 467,476 to James Buchanan, dated January 19, 1892; but as such a hood is not of my present invention it will not be shown or described herein.

The shaft F bears upon its ends arms F, to which are connected the rods G. One of these arms F develops into a segmental rack, as shown most plainly in Fig. 2, which is preferably a screw-rack and which is operated by a worm f, as shown. Obviously a spur-pinion might be substituted for the worm, but, as is well known, the worm (besides being more powerful) operates as its own detent, thus holding the apparatus to whatever point it may be adjusted without other appliances. Surrounding this shaft F is shown a coiled spring F which is secured at one end to the framework through the medium of the ratchet-wheel f and the pawl f, and at the other end is securely held to said shaft. The object of this spring thus arranged is to receive and carry a part of the weight of the trunk structure, and it may be adjusted to carry more or less of said Weight by revolving the ratchet-wheel, and thus putting more or less tension on the spring, as will be readily understood.

The connecting-rods G are pivoted at one end to the arms F and at the other end to the ring or frame 0 at or near the outer end of the trunk-section C. As will be readily understood by an examination of the drawings, the operation is, when the shaft F is revolved and the arms F thus swung on their axes, that said arms and said rods, acting as a togglelever, will raise or lower the outer end of said trunk-section O and all the parts carried thereby. Thus by simply revolving the worm f the whole trunk structure is easily raised and lowered, the spring F contributing to this by carrying a part of the weight, as heretofore explained.

The connection H is shown as a jointed rod, although it might be a cord or chain. It is connected at the lower end to a convenient portion of the framework of the machine and at the upper end to an arm (1, extending out from the ring or framework D. The length of this is so adjusted that when the trunk has been raised to a predetermined point higher than its usual operative point it will pull on the arm cl and operate over the hinge c as a fulcrum to fold the trunk section D and all parts carried thereby back into the position shown by Fig. 2. \Vhen the operation of the mechanism is reversed and the trunk thrown back to near its highest operative position, the pull on this connection begins to slacken, permitting the trunk to be unfolded.

The springs l are connected to arms d, extending out from the trunk-section D at one end, and to the rods G at the other end. As the outer trtmk-sections are folded over to the position shown in Fig. 2 these springs are dist-ended. YV hen the reverse movement has reached the proper point, said springs, acting reversely to the connection H, operate to insure the unfolding of the trunk into its extended position. Thus by means of this mechanism I am enabled to raise and lower the trunk to any desired extent, to fold it over the top of the machine when it has reached a certain height, and to unfold it again when it has reached a certain position in the other direction by automatically-acting devices actuated, primarily, by the worm f.

Having thus fully described my said invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the hinged trunk or chuteof a pneumatic straw-stacker, of a rock-shaft, arms rigidly connected to said rock-shaft, connections extending from said arms to points on said trunk, and pivoted at the respective ends. and a segmental rack and pinion whereby said rock-shaft may be rocked back and forth, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of a threshing-machine having the discharge-orifice for the straw at the lower side on the rear end; a pneumatic stacker connected to said threshing-machine at said point, the trunk whereof is composed of two sections hinged together, and mechanism for raising and lowering the same, the lower trunk-section being also hinged to the threshing-machine structure and of suflicient length to extend to above its top, and the second trunk-section being hinged to the lower section and adapted to be folded back over the top of the threshing-machine, when the lower section is in elevated position for storage or transportation, all substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination,in a pneumatic stacker, of a lower hinged trunk-section, a second trunk-section hinged to said lower section, means of operating said trunk as a whole on the hinge of the lower trunk-section, an arm on the second trunk-section,and a connection extending from the framework to said arm, whereby, when the trunk is raised as a whole to a certain point, said section will be automatically pulled upon and folded over by the operation of said connection, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination ,in a pneumatic stacker, of the trunk or chute made up of sections hinged together and to the threshing-machine means whereby it is elevated and depressed, and a coiled spring surrounding said shaft and connected thereto at one end and to the framework at the other end, whereby a portion of the Weight of the trunk is carried and the power required to elevate the same reduced, substantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 16th day of February, A D. 1895.

JOHN S. SMITH. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH. 

